US F-35 stealth fighters to join IAF’s Tarang Shakti exercise in India for first time

US F-35 stealth fighter jets will participate in an Indian Air Force-led multinational combat exercise for the first time, with six of the fifth-generation aircraft set to join Tarang Shakti 2026 in Jodhpur from September 26 to October 12, reported TOI.

Nearly 40 countries will participate in the second edition of Tarang Shakti or attend as observers, while seven nations — the US, France, UAE, Australia, Germany, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — will directly participate with aircraft and other assets.

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The exercise will feature a range of advanced platforms, including F-35s, F-16s, Rafales, Su-30MKIs, indigenous Tejas fighters, A400Ms, multi-role tanker transport aircraft and KC-135s.

Confirming the F-35's participation, IAF Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit said, “For the first time, we are going to exercise with the F-35. It is coming. It had come to India earlier. (Then) it was was part of Aero India, and then it (another UK-owned F35 jet) got stuck in Thiruvananthapuram. Now we will exercise with it.”

The F-35, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is among a small group of fifth-generation stealth fighters currently operated globally. The US operates the F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor, while Russia has the Su-57 and China operates the Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-35.

Dixit said Tarang Shakti marked a shift from the IAF's traditional focus on bilateral exercises towards training alongside several foreign air forces simultaneously.

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“For many years, our operational engagement with foreign air forces was largely through bilateral exercises. We learnt to operate with one partner at a time. Tarang Shakti changed that approach. In 2024, we brought multiple air forces together for the first time. Across two phases, 11 countries participated with their air assets, with 45 aircraft undertaking 76 missions, generating more than 800 sorties. This year, invitations have been sent to 65 friendly foreign countries.”

The IAF vice chief also addressed delays in the delivery of the Tejas Mk1A fighter aircraft, saying engine shortages had initially held up the programme but some technical work remained before induction.

“Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has clarified that in the beginning, the delay was from the engine side (from GE). We could not get enough engines. Now we have got the engines, and installed them on the aircraft. We are doing proper and thorough testing before the aircraft is inducted. Two or three parts (radar and missile integration) are left to be proven and I think in a month or two, we should be able to overcome that technical issue. Thereafter, the road is clear for the aircraft to be inducted. We are also eagerly waiting for Tejas Mk1A.”

HAL, which is due to deliver 180 aircraft, has said it has 10 GE engines and 27 LCA Mk1A airframes ready.

On the investigation into the Tejas crash in Dubai, Dixit said the probe remained underway and investigators were awaiting a “final technical analysis” of specific components before determining the exact cause.

With inputs from TOI